“This notion in the NBA ‘well we don’t like the San Antonio Spurs because they don’t’…let me tell you something if you don’t like the San Antonio Spurs you’re an idiot,” Barkley said. “You don’t know anything about basketball. You hear that argument every year if San Antonio does well they’re not good for ratings.

“Let me tell you something: you don’t know anything about basketball. You’re not a basketball fan if you don’t like watching the Spurs play. They’re good for basketball.”

Barkley sees a similar strain in mid-majors Butler and VCU playing Saturday in the Final Four.

“Let me tell you something those kids at Butler and VCU – man they’ve been fantastic,” Barkley said. “They gave an exciting, think about Butler, I mean how many buzzer beaters can you get in a single playoff run? It’s been awesome.”

Earlier this season, Barkley had continually called the Dallas Mavericks the best team in Texas.

He still told Tolbert he doesn’t think the Spurs will win the Western Conference in the upcoming NBA playoffs.

“The Lakers are still the team to beat in the West,” Barkley said. “I’ve always said the Spurs are a little overrated. I don’t like their team as a playoff team. I don’t think they are big enough. Tim Duncan to me has struggled all year. I think when they play against some of the bigger teams in a seven-game series. They have a a tough time against Memphis in the first round because Zach Randolph will have a huge advantage on Tim Duncan.”

But maybe his tone is softening with the prospect of several upcoming trips to San Antonio looming for Barkley and his TNT broadcasting crew in the next few weeks.